


golden thread

by storypaint (possibilityleft)



Category: Tangled (2010)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-06
Updated: 2011-11-06
Packaged: 2017-10-25 18:09:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/273233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/possibilityleft/pseuds/storypaint
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Flynn asks Rapunzel's dad for permission to marry her. <em>His daughter had grown up without him. Really grown up. And now there was more proof standing in front of him in the earnest eyes of a former conman.</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	golden thread

**Author's Note:**

> For esotaria, at her request.

> There's something like a line of gold thread running through a man's words when he talks to his daughter, and gradually over the years it gets to be long enough for you to pick up in your hands and weave into a cloth that feels like love itself. -John Gregory Brown, _Decorations in a Ruined Cemetery_

 

The king had preserved his daughter perfectly in his memories. She was always that tiny, cooing blonde in his mind, no matter how many years had passed and how many lanterns had left his hands.

And so, even though it was ridiculous, he was still surprised by how different she'd become in the intervening years, how her hair had darkened and she'd grown tall. She was still his daughter, of course, with the queen's strong eyes, but it had taken him a moment to process.

His daughter had grown up without him. Really grown up. And now there was more proof standing in front of him in the earnest eyes of a former conman. A less-than-forgiving advisor of his had brought the king the dossier of Flynn Rider, and the king had been less than impressed. He'd caused the downfall of three separate banks and stolen several expensive artifacts simply because they were called unstealable. Further, it seemed that he'd mostly done it to entertain himself; he was perfectly capable of working for a living. He just didn't want to.

(And maybe hiring him as a probationary stableboy when he'd managed to save the princess's life had been a little harsher than necessary, but the king _had_ relented after the first week.)

So he narrowed his eyes just a little and stared down at this total stranger that had also, somehow, been added to his family. Eugene flinched just a little, but stood his ground. He was saying something and the king pressed his mind back to the conversation.

"So I tried to tell her it wasn't exactly _traditional_ for the woman to propose, but she is a princess, and now that she knows it, it's even harder to argue with her than it was before. Not that it was easy before, believe me. I have the frying pan bruises to prove it!"

The king stared, not really comprehending where this was going. Eugene took a breath. He stood up straight and seemed to steel himself for what came next.

"So I said that I'd marry her, but that I had to ask you first. You just can't break some traditions," he said, and mumbled under his breath, "even if you want to."

The king lifted an eyebrow and then Eugene's words sunk in. "Married? She wants to marry you?"

Apparently he sounded too surprised. Eugene had been polishing his nails on his vest, looking self-satisfied at being proposed to, no matter what he'd said about tradition, but at the king's words, he met the king's eyes again, this time looking wounded. The king might have been more impressed if he hadn't been sure that this hurt was an act (and it was), and if he didn't intend to agree, because he wanted nothing more than to make his daughter happy. Even if that meant giving her away to a known criminal. At least Eugene had _asked_ before he took her. That had to go against his instincts.

"I know that I'm no prince," Eugene said, and these words were actually sincere, so the king nodded for him to continue. "I'm just a poor boy from nowhere. But I do love your daughter more than anything in the world. That's what I have to offer her."

He paused again. "Well, there's also a few bags of jewels stashed here and there, but I was thinking about giving them back. It's not like we need them. They're not... really important anymore."

He had this look in his eyes, like he was contemplating the shine of Rapunzel's eyes and finding it much more worthy than the glimmer of jewelry. The king smiled, just a little.

"I'll allow you to marry her," he said, and Eugene grinned. "On one condition, however," he continued, trying to look imposing when he really secretly wanted to cry. His daughter, getting married. Hadn't he dreamed of that for her for her whole life? That even if she was never found and returned to them, that she would have a great life with someone who made her happy? But crying was for later, when his queen would come to him with her own tears of joy, and they could celebrate in private.

"One condition, okay," Eugene said. He turned toward the door. "Right. I'll, uh, go get the maps. I'm not really sure whose gold is whose because I considered it all mine, but maybe they filed reports? I'm sure your men charged me on the basis of something."

"No, no," the king said, and Eugene paused mid-step, looking over his shoulder. "Return the money, yes. But there's something else."

"I hope you don't want me to fight a dragon or something," Eugene said. "I'm more of a lover than a fighter. Or a runner."

"Get that horse out of the castle and back into the stables where it belongs," the king replied, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. "That's my condition."

The stallion had stuck his head in the doorway to see what was going on, but the king had heard him approaching. It wasn't as if the sound of hooves was quiet on the stone floors, or even muffled by the rugs. Maximus managed to look affronted. He snorted. Eugene approached hurriedly and patted the horse's neck, mumbling something awkwardly that the king couldn't quite hear about royalty and manners.

"Eugene," the king said as Eugene grabbed the reins and began to pull. Again, the young man paused.

"Congratulations," the king finished, tone gruff. Eugene smiled.

"Thanks, Your Majesty," he said, leading Maximus away. The king only nodded around the lump in his throat.


End file.
